Mastering Your Study Schedule as a Law Student

Not all tasks carry the same weight—especially in law school. Start each week by listing out everything on your plate: assigned readings, writing deadlines, class prep, outlines, and extracurricular commitments. Then, categorize each item by urgency and impact. Ask yourself:

• Is this due soon?
• Will this affect my exam performance or class participation?
• Does this deepen my understanding of a key legal principle?

Use these answers to prioritize. This habit not only helps you stay organized but also ensures your time is spent where it matters most: building the legal reasoning and analytical skills that define success in law school.

• Urgent and Important: Address these right away. This can include readings and case briefs for your next class, or financial to-dos such as applying for scholarships.
  
• Important but Not Urgent: Plan and schedule these tasks. There are many moving parts in law school—long-term research, coffee chats, or budgeting by comparing textbook prices. Use Aspen Access to cut costs and guarantee you're receiving the correct edition your professor assigns.
  
• Neither Urgent nor Important: Reduce or eliminate these from your list. Cutting out anything from stress-scrolling to endlessly reformatting notes to spending excessive time on law school chats talking about stress can make the more important tasks feel more doable.

In law school, your success depends on mastering core legal concepts, actively engaging in class discussions, and performing well on exams. Let Aspen Publishing’s digital tools help you to streamline your organization and workflow, allowing you to concentrate on understanding the purpose behind each case and building your legal reasoning skills. When you buy directly from us, you ensure you get the best digital experience that's made for studying law so you can focus on what really matters.

Treat your study schedule like a courtroom schedule—strict and non-negotiable.

Like categorizing tasks based on priority, planning your weekly study schedule will yield similar benefits. One way to plan your week strategically is through time blocking. According to Scott Turow (Author of One L and Harvard Law graduate), he implicitly described time blocking in his memoir about Harvard Law School: “I learned quickly that survival meant segmenting days into strict zones for reading, classes, and sleep.” 

• Reading: Make time for case briefs and class prep—they’re essential to your success. Reading for class isn’t just about memorizing facts; it’s about learning how to apply legal principles in context. If your schedule is packed or you want to make room for more than just studying, audiobooks can help boost your reading comprehension and keep you on track.
  
• Reviewing notes: Regularly revisit class notes and case outlines to reinforce your understanding. Make sure you use the Outline Tool in Casebook Connect for a quick study guide – it automatically organizes your highlights into structured outlines to help save time.
  
• Practice questions: Build reading comprehension and exam readiness by practicing essays and multiple-choice questions. Many of our eBooks come with a Study Center on Casebook Connect, which is filled with questions from our best-in-class study guides.
  
• Self-care: Don’t overlook meals, exercise, and downtime. If you still need to multi-task even during your self-care time, you can listen to an audiobook while exercising or doing other activities.

Use tools that help solidify your understanding through both auditory and visual channels. With Aspen Aloud, you can listen to audio lectures that provide an overview of a topic— it goes beyond your textbook and can help explain complex legal concepts.

Want to go deeper? Try pairing audiobooks with your readings to reinforce concepts. Or, use PracticePerfect videos for a dynamic, multi-sensory learning experience.

You’ll encounter numerous opportunities to join clubs, attend events, and take on part-time work during law school. While these activities can be valuable, overcommitting can lead to burnout.

Saying “no” now means saying “yes” to your future. Protect your bandwidth—your outline, your wellness, and your sleep will thank you. 

Here are some questions to consider before adding more onto your plate: 

• Does this opportunity align with my goals? 
• Do I have the available time to tackle this new task? 
• Will this opportunity interfere with my top priorities, like my study schedule? 

Make use of downtime by turning it into productive study time. LEAF from Aspen’s audiobook feature is perfect for learning on the go. Whether commuting, exercising, or taking a break, audiobooks allow you to maximize productivity and make studying seamless.

The legal profession values attention to detail, and so should your study schedule. Instead of tackling a broad task like "prepare for contracts class".

• Read pages 100-150.
• Brief three key cases. (learn more on case briefing here)
• Draft discussion questions.

Set aside time weekly to evaluate your progress.

• Did I meet my goals?
• What worked well?
• What needs adjustment?

Mastering your study schedule in law school isn’t about working harder; it’s about working smarter. By prioritizing tasks, planning effectively, and ensuring balance, you’ll be able to handle the demands of law school with confidence and clarity. Remember, every lawyer started as a law student—navigating this journey successfully now will set the stage for future accomplishments.